A HAIR salon manager died after being thrown 10ft from a motorcycle in a crash on Tuesday night.

Passers-by tried desperately to save pillion passenger Claire Berretti, 45, following the collision with a taxi at the junction of Clerkenwell Road and Farringdon Road. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ms Berretti, who lived in Battersea but was originally from Scotland, had worked at the Sejour hair salon in South Kensington since 2004.

Staff at the salon were too upset to comment when contacted by the Tribune today.

A biography on the company’s website said: “Her dedication and expertise within the industry helped in the creating and branding of Sejour.”

Staff from Ninth Ward bar, in Farringdon Road, said passers-by tried to resuscitate the injured woman until paramedics arrived. One man went from bar to bar in an attempt to find a defibrillator, without success.

“We didn’t see the actual crash but the woman was laid outside with people all around her,” a barman said.

“The motorbike was on the floor. The paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later.”

A Met police spokeswoman said a post-mortem examination would be held in due course.

A male motorcyclist sustained minor injuries but did not require medical assistance.

The taxi driver stopped at the scene. No arrests have been made.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Alperton on 020 8991 9555 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.